Book excerpt: This book presents standard fiddle tunes in basic form, then shows you how, on a phrase-by-phrase basis, the tunes can become vehicles for your own improvisations. It is designed to open the door to creating spontaneous variations, or improvisations, based on the melodic structure unique to each tune. Each tune in the book is presented first in its basic form, then with four variations. The variations are printed directly beneath the melody with the corresponding measures aligned, so that you can easily compare them to the original melody and to each other. The accompanying CD features mandolin and rhythm guitar on separate channels, so you can turn off the lead and play along with the rhythm, or vice versa. Intermediate in difficulty.